Thank you, Mr. Chair.
To all our witnesses, thank you for your advocacy and for the work you have done on this file, memorializing the name of Sergei Magnitsky and making it synonymous with standing up for human rights, standing against corruption and standing against kleptocracy. Each of you has been a champion on that front. I'm so glad that all of you are here speaking in support of Bill C-219.
We talk often about how Canada can be used as a safe haven. The sanctions regimes have always targeted individuals and entities, but there's always the importance around immediate family members. There are definitely some who would like to see that definition be very tight, referring only to spouses, partners and immediate family members who are dependants, rather than being broader and including siblings and children who are non-dependants. However, those family members are often used to shelter illicit wealth gained through corruption and then moved into Canada and other regions.
I want to get feedback from each one of you on what you feel is the right definition around “immediate family members”.
Vladimir, kick us off, please.